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Quote1 Your power is no longer yours alone! Now I can do as I wish with it. But your heroism… perhaps that is something only you can possess! Perhaps that is something that can never be stolen. Farewell, Hulk! Quote2
Chief Examiner[src]

History

Context and Origin[]

The planet Scadam, fourth in the Gogol System[1] of a different galaxy,[4] light-years from Earth,[13] was inhabited by the intelligent, golden-skinned humanoid[6] Scadamites,[2] a pacifistic culture[6] that had forfeited violence[8] and weaponry millenia ago[6] to the point of finding the mere idea of waging war[4] -or sending others to fight in their behalf- to be an abomination to their beliefs.[8] Instead, they had devoted their efforts to intellectual pursuits.[13]

The Scadamites were unaware of the fact that their world hosted an evil, intelligent slice of the Bio-Gem.[13] The Bio-Gem had been defeated in ancient times and shattered by an unknown alien species. As the shards were still conscious, each fragment was left next to a self-destroying Natter Energy-Egg as a protection:[1][13] Whenever the Gem tried to release itself, the Egg — a natural nemesis to the gem — detonated, obliterating both itself and the gem. Should the Gem try to escape or perform any dangerous action, the Egg, at detecting it, would also explode.[7]

The Gem was being targeted by the raiding armada of plundering starships known as the Black Fleet,[13] survivors of the primeval, biomechanical Turgentine Technenium.[1][14] The Fleet knew of the Gem power and discovered a way to nullify the Eggs and to enslave the Gem's shard to power bio-matter harnesses, thus increasing the Fleet power to favor their ultimate goal - utter annihilation of organic life in the universe.[13] The thousand-ship[15] Fleet ravaged several worlds, relentlessly approaching Scadam.[4][6][5][8]

The Scadamite leaders, the Ruling Council,[6] lacked the means, knowledge and attitude to confront the invaders,[4] instead resigning themselves to their doom. Dissident Councilmember Durgan the Philosopher,[6] a scholar of extraplanetary lifeforms who was familiar with Earth's superpowered community, believed instead that these beings' superpowers could be used to defend Scadam[4][6] and at least give the Scadamites a chance at survival.[6][7] Durgan's proposal to fight back[4] as a morally exceptional measure[8] was deemed illegal[7] and heretic:[13] Durgan was ousted from the Council[1] and he left the Chamber hearing threats of exile,[6] an event witnessed by Durgan's friend and apprentice Tuskar.[13][7]

Durgan nonetheless adhered to his own view[6] and decided to become a recluse[13] to act on his own.[8] With the advanced Scadam technology he had previously used to monitor Earth,[4] Durgan built the Chief Examiner,[1][7][8][16] an artificial computer simulation of a person[2][8][10] programmed[1] with autonomous genius-level intelligence[2] and a projection of Durgan's own consciousness[1][2] that caused the Examiner to develop a personality and creativity of its own[2] - indeed, like a living being, he swore ("Gods of my ancestors" and "Great galaxies").[6] The Chief Examiner was an agent to enforce Durgan's philosophy,[7] programmed to look for certain very powerful individual super-beings whom the Examiner would then evaluate[7][8] and analyze.[1][8] This would allow Durgan to replicate the super-beings' abilities[1][7][8] and build a fighting champion with these powers[8][10] to protect Scadam against the Black Feet.[7][8][10]

Durgan's philosophy's agent[7] was mainly a computer that had only arms, shoulders, and a spherical helmet for a head; but he could adopt a humanoid shape using technology and a cloak for simulation purposes.[1] Durgan sent[4] the Chief Examiner to Earth to gather information on superpowers[10] and thus harvest the powers themselves.[1][7] The Examiner's M.O. was approaching a superhuman in action and convince him or her to go through his curious black floating portal;[4] once inside, the powerful being underwent a test in the Examiner's pocket-dimensional[6] computer-based lair[9] and burst forth through the other side of the portal, temporarily powerless, mere seconds after entering. After this process, the Examiner was able to duplicate that person's powers.[4] The Examiner cryptically refused to explain his own actions,[3] as he feared that a mere request could be refused.[8]

Questprobe: The Hulk[]

The Chief Examiner reached Earth and went to Grand Canyon, where the superstrong being called the Hulk was being harassed by the Colorado National Guard of the United States Army. In this first contact, the Examiner promptly learned the vernacular and, based on the soldiers' oral reports on the Hulk's power, the Examiner decided to replicate it. Appearing in front of a skeptic commander, the Examiner even naively revealed him that he intended to use his hand-held device for that purpose, before flying miles away to watch Hulk from a safe distance.[6]

Meanwhile, the Bio-Gem psionically contacted the Hulk, leading the innocent beast-man to a cave where the Bio-Gem showed the Hulk an illusion of the Natter Energy-Egg destroying the Gem. The Hulk was confused at this, but also uninterested, and went to sleep. Hulk then became his fragile human persona, Dr. Bruce Banner - and was still Banner when the Examiner found him. The Examiner was astonished at this revelation. Banner woke up and, when the Examiner tried to make him cross the portal, Banner angered at this stranger trying to manipulate his actions. Banner escaped, falling off of a cliff and becoming the Hulk again, but even the Hulk refused to obey those weird commands on crossing portals. Instead, the Hulk threw a rock to the portal. He failed to damage it: The rock went to the portal, suddenly lost all momentum and fell.[6]

The Hulk then tried to swim away through the Colorado River, with the Examiner chasing him. Hulk smashed the riverbed to generate a geyser that threw the flying Examiner off balance - until the Examiner moved the portal to make it absorb the water. Hulk jumped on the Examiner; the Examiner tried to intercept the Hulk with the portal but the Hulk dodged and fell on the water - shaking a raft with tourists on it. The Hulk tried to hide by diving; the Examiner failed to find him, giving the Hulk a chance to ambush the Examiner. The Hulk successfully grabbed a huge piece of the cliff and used it as a weapon, trapping the Examiner under the huge debris. By doing this, however, the Hulk jeopardized the rafters, and the Hulk, not wanting innocents to suffer any harm, spent time to save their lives. The Examiner noticed the Hulk's noble intentions and was impressed; he nonetheless made the most of the situation: the Examiner moved the portal between the Hulk and a shipwrecked woman, so that the Hulk had to go through the portal to save her. The Hulk did so, feeding his power and energy to the Examiner's machines while he himself was sent to the Examiner's computer-based universe.[6]

Bio-Gem, Chief Examiner (Earth-616) from Questprobe The Hulk

Chief Examiner tests the Hulk from his office

Bruce Banner appeared within a dome, bound hand and foot to a chair. He released himself by turning into Hulk, but a sleeping gas turned him to Banner again. By digging holes, Hulk began to gather up to seventeen gems and left them in a paradoxical area known as the warp. The Examiner had an office next to the warp, from where he tried to monitor the situation; but the Hulk reached his workstation in an oversight of the later. The Examiner claimed that the Hulk had left "the Computer" and, as he was "not ready for" the Hulk yet, he sent him back to the warp.[9]

While on his self-imposed[17] quest to find the gems, the Hulk's excavations accidentally released an army of alien ants; Hulk had to cover most of his body orifices in different ways to prevent their intrusion. An astral form of Hulk's ally Doctor Strange prompted Banner to think of his nemesis Nightmare as a way to enrage and become the Hulk. The Hulk dug again to find the Bio-Gem and the egg, and also a subterranean cave where evil robot Ultron held the Ant-Man prisoner. The Hulk released the Ant-Man who, in turn, helped the Hulk by controlling the ants. This allowed the Hulk to find the last gems. When all of the gems plus the Bio-Gem were left on the warp area, the Examiner personally congratulated the Hulk by giving him a secret password, "Aria."[9]

The Hulk emerged from the portal on Earth, mere moments after he touched it. Although weakened, the Hulk saved the girl and left her with her friends. He then confronted the Examiner and asked whether the "Faceless Man" wanted Hulk's death. The Examiner instead thanked the Hulk and praised his heroism, wishing that his machines could also duplicate that. The Examiner then vanished in a cloud of smoke, leaving an uncomfortable Hulk behind.[6]

Questprobe Fever: Spider-Man[]

The Black Fleet attacked another world to destroy the local Bio-Gem shard, at the same time approaching Scadam in several parsecs, while the Council still refused to succumb to brutality and take any measure. Only Tuskar worried about missing Durgan and looked for his old friend. He found a minor interference in the transmissions and tracked it to the Bio-Gem, that was in contact with the Bio-Gem shard that the Fleet had just destroyed - but again failed to understand its meaning. Tuskar also noticed Durgan's communication with Earth.[13]

The Examiner's next target was the superhero Spider-Man.[1][13] At that point, Spider-Man's enemy Mysterio, an illusionist, escaped from jail and held the offices of newspaper Daily Bugle, including all the reporters, hostage by keeping them on a floor of their own building (not even securing the windows). Mysterio intended for the Bugle to broadcast his challenge to Spider-Man - unaware that Spider-Man was photojournalist Peter Parker, one of his prisoners. Spider-Man discreetly changed clothes and confronted Mysterio, their fighting going through several rooms.[13]

When moving to a different room, Spider-Man found the Chief Examiner, but took him for Mysterio or one of his illusions -partly because both Mysterio and the Chief Examiner used spherical glass helmets. The Examiner was unable to convince wary Spider-Man to follow his commands. Spider-Man instead shoot his webs to the Examiner's portal, only to see them lose all momentum. Spider-Man retreated through a door, found Mysterio and continued his fight.[13]

Spider-Man then found a psychic projection of the Bio-Gem, which telepathically explained that the gem was an intelligent being, captured by the egg, that requested Spider-Man's help for release. Spider-Man however noticed the gem's evilness and retreated in time. The Bio-Gem, discarding Spider-Man as an ally, decided to test Mysterio because Spider-Man identified both Mysterio and the Bio-Gem as evil.[6]

Chief Examiner, Peter Parker, Quentin Beck (Earth-616) from Questprobe Vol 1 2

Spider-Man took the Chief Examiner for a trick of Mysterio's

The Examiner again offered Spider-Man a chance to cross the portal. Spider-Man shot webs to ensnare the Examiner, but found only empty robes. Spider-Man was unimpressed with this trick and moved to fight Mysterio again. When Mysterio was getting the upper hand, the Examiner appeared again and surprised the villain. Spider-Man understood that the Examiner was not related to Mysterio, who was in turn threatening the newcomer.[13] Cornered by Mysterio, Spider-Man crossed the Examiner's portal[1][2][13] and was sent to the Examiner's "test".[18]

The Examiner's lair now resembled the Bugle office -with headlines reporting "Questprobe fever sweeps nation!", under siege by a number of Spider-Man's known nemeses including Doctor Octopus, Electro, Hydro-Man, Lizardman (sic.), Mysterio, the Ringmaster, and Sandman. Spider-Man gathered seventeen scattered gems and one Bio-Gem, delivering them to his motionless ally Madame Web in one of the building rooms. To do this, Spider-Man confronted all of the enemies using his wits, then moved most of their unconscious bodies to use them as weight in a scale. When he succeeded, the Chief Examiner appeared to him to give him a keyword: "Micah."[18]

As had happened with the Hulk,[6] Spider-Man reappeared in the real world an instant after leaving, feeling weakened. Mysterio tried to deliver him a coup de grâce before focusing on the Examiner,[13] but then the Bio-Gem decided to manipulate the events by influencing the Examiner to its will as a way to study Mysterio - subtly[1][13] to avoid being detected by the Energy-Egg. The Examiner then tried to make Mysterio cross the portal; but Mysterio, fearing some kind of trap, ran away. The Bio-Gem could not keep its control over the Examiner without a growing power output that would lead to the Egg detonation and even to Tuskar detecting it; thus, the Bio-Gem forfeited its plan. The Examiner recovered and left, along with his portal. Spider-Man then defeated Mysterio in a fight.[13]

After this event, the Bio-Gem strengthened its control over the Scadam computers. At the same time Tuskar became more suspicious and decided to report his thoughts to colleague students.[13]

Third Questprobe: Two Fantastics[]

Durgan was now interested in the powers of the original members of the Fantastic Four,[8] assigning them as the next mission for the Examiner.[1] After studying reports of the Human Torch's power, he stormed in the Four's headquarters, the Baxter Building, and confronted the Torch, who was there with his romantic partner Alicia Masters[7] -secretly the metamorphic Skrull alien Lyja impersonating Masters.[1][19] The Examiner, unimpressed at the Torch's physical appearance, decided to test him in the real world: He first used his powers to control the computers and building automation in the Baxter Building, then sent four maintenance drones against the Torch. The Torch destroyed two of these before the other two suffocated his flames, but in the process he impressed the Examiner. The Examiner then tried to convince the Torch to cross the portal.[7]

The Torch instead tried to escape with Masters using the building's emergency elevator -not included in the computer-controlled devices-, also gaining time to recover his flame. The Examiner chased them. They found a new member of the Fantastic Four, She-Hulk, who was just returning to the Building.[7] The Examiner was uninterested in the She-Hulk's powers. Again falling under the Bio-Gem's malignant influence, the Examiner tried to kill Masters and the She-Hulk throwing a reprogrammed Fantasticar at them; but then the Examiner understood his wrong actions and protected his own targets. By then, however, the Torch was running to the rescue and accidentally entered the portal.[1][7] The Torch was quickly analyzed and returned to the Baxter Building, his power copied. The Examiner then decided to teleport away, still not knowing that the Bio-Gem had been manipulating him.[7]

By then, in Scadam, Durgan had discovered how the Natter Energy-Egg could affect its environment. When Tuskar tracked the mysterious energy drain to the Bio-Gem in an abandoned museum, Durgan appeared to him via videoconference to recruit him for his cause. When Durgan explained about the Chief Examiner, Tuskar initially was reluctant at a clear heresy of Scadamite thought, but he finally agreed to help Durgan - with the Bio-Gem witnessing this exchange.[7] Eventually Tuskar and the Chief Examiner met each other and formally became allies.[2]

Questprobe Vol 1 3

The Chief Examiner confronting both the Human Torch and the Thing

The Chief Examiner went after the Thing, a member of the Fantastic Four who happened to be in an alien planet called Battleworld, confronting physical representations of his own thoughts. When the Examiner appeared, the Thing believed him to be something from his (Thing's) own subconscious mind, and asked him to wait until the Thing kept on his quest[7] to raid the tower of "Grimm the Sorcerer". The Examiner agreed to wait, placing the portal at the tower's exit gate so that the Thing would go through it when leaving the tower. Once this was done, the Thing's power were analyzed[1][7] and the Examiner left.[7]

At some point during this time, both the Human Torch and the Thing were submitted to a joint test in which they cooperated with each other. In this test, the Examiner at his office explained that someone would "control" both the Torch and the Thing, to release the woman they both loved, Alicia Masters. Masters had been captured by Victor von Doom and was held at his Castle, personally guarded by Xandu the Mystic while the immovable Blob protected the gate. The heroes had to work together: The Torch first released the Thing, who was slowly sinking in tar. The Thing then stole a cannon from the Circus of Crime, dodging the Ringmaster's hypnotic powers, and used it to shoot himself to the castle. At the same time, the Torch threw fire to the Blob, prompting the later to move. With the Thing within the Castle, the Torch entered an underground cave and created an explosion that caused a small earthquake, bringing a statue down on Xandu. With Xandu unconscious, the Thing released Alicia. The Examiner then transported the heroes to his office to give them a secret password: "Magen!"[20]

The Chief Examiner versus the X-Men[]

Durgan decided to project his own consciousness in the Examiner to control it personally. The Bio-Gem, even inhibited by the Egg,[8] recovered command over the Chief Examiner.[1][8] The Examiner then rebelled against Durgan's orders,[2] trapping Durgan's mind in a chaotic psychic scenario in the Examiner's computer mnemonic system; and then went after Magneto and his allies the X-Men instead of the Fantastic Four. The Examiner wanted the power of Magneto, reputedly powerful and evil, to destroy Durgan's psyche.[8] The X-Men -Colossus, Rogue, Shadowcat, Storm, and Wolverine- were vacationing at[8] an electronically-protected[1] island in the Bermuda Triangle with their human friend Aleytys "Lee" Forrester.[8] Before showing himself, the Examiner took control of the state-of-the-art defenses of the island,[1] including statue-like robots he used to attack the X-Men (except for Rogue who was in the nearby Bahamas). Storm was petrified in suspended animation after one attack; Shadowcat's phasing powers and Colossus's techno-organic form failed to protect them; and even Wolverine was mineralized and thrown away.[8] With the X-Men incapacitated,[1] the Examiner confronted Magneto,[2][8] claiming that the effect would disappear in one hour.[8]

The Examiner insisted that Magneto, having proved his temple by surviving the ordeal (even protecting Forrester in the process), was mandated to go through the portal. Not one to give in, Magneto used his powers against the portal[8] and disrupted the Examiner's robotic circuitry. This created a scramble feedback loop that trapped Magneto's consciousness in the mnemonic system. With Magneto's body lacking a mind of its own, the Bio-Gem took it over.[1][8] The Chief Examiner's immaterial body collapsed, leaving behind his clothes, which Magneto donned.[8]

Rogue then returned to the island, already on alert because she had seen Wolverine's body.[8] "Magneto", as the new Chief Examiner, attacked Rogue[1][8] with his newfound powers to imprison her in metallic plates while scheming about a way to take over the Earth and then somehow collect all the Bio-Gems. Rogue resourcefully escaped by rotating so quick that the steel was melt by atmospheric friction, but she was launched without control, colliding with the portal. This process was unique: Instead of being submitted to a test,[8] Rogue, a power absorber by nature, absorbed all the powers that the Examiner had gathered[1][8] -Hulk's, Spider-Man's, the Human Torch, …. She send a whirlwind to the Examiner as an attack to deprive him of oxygen; the Examiner covered himself with an energy vortex using Magneto's magnetic powers. During the fight, the Bio-Gem revealed details of his strategy to Rogue.[8]

Durgan, Max Eisenhardt (Earth-616) from Marvel Fanfare Vol 1 3

Magneto finds Durgan at the Chief Examiner's breached mind

Meanwhile, Magneto's consciousness found Durgan's, trapped in the same environment. Magneto selflessly helped psychically "wounded" Durgan recover. Unhappy at meeting Magneto, Durgan nonetheless told him about Scadam's plight and the Chief Examiner; Magneto in turn explained what had happened. Neither of them knew the identity of their enemy, the Bio-Gem, that was controlling at once Magneto's body and the Examiner. Magneto and Durgan cooperatively crossed a "physically metaphorical" chasm to activate the computer's self-reparation routines to correct the malfunction.[8] This removed the Bio-Gem's viral influence from the Examiner:[1][8] Magneto went back to his own body, which was being battered by Rogue's green punches. Magneto and Durgan, now as the Examiner, told Rogue what they knew, and Durgan found no trace of the mysterious "cracker" of the Examiner, but reinforced the defenses to prevent it from happening again.[8]

The Examiner asked Rogue to go through the portal to recover her previous status.[8] Magneto, kindly and stylishly, allowed the Examiner[1][8] to analyze his powers.[1][2][8] Magneto nonetheless reprimanded the Examiner for his methods: The confrontations were due to the Examiner collecting powers by force instead of asking for help; he was stooping to the Black Fleet's level. Wolverine arrived later, but Magneto and the others convinced him that the Examiner was merely a deluded being they had already dealt with.[8]

The Last Stand of the Chief Examiner[]

At some point, the Examiner also analyzed the powers of Wolverine and of Sub-Mariner,[5] reaching a total of over twelve Earthling superhumans analyzed.[21] Meanwhile, Durgan built[1][22] a huge "mecha" -walking, pilotable, robotic platform-,[23] the Chief Exterminator[1][23] to hold the powers and serve as Scadam's champion battling the Black Fleet.[22]

The Chief Examiner went after another superpowered being from Earth: Female human Kayla Ballantine, per the Examiner's reading, was the most powerful being the Examiner had found[5] because she had an almost unlimited power source:[1] The Star Brand, a glyph coming from Earth-148611[24] that Ballantine's paramour, the superhero Quasar, had unintentionally smuggled to Earth-616 and later imprinted on her, again by accident.[25] Another party was also tracking the Brand for her own purpose:[26] The Deviant[27] Ereshkigal,[28] under the guise of Holly "H.D." Steckley, co-worker of Ballantine at Vaughn Security Systems, insincerely befriended her[29] while looking for a chance to obtain her coveted powers[26] - powers that Ballantine was unaware of![30]

The Examiner, in a frantic attempt to save Scadam,[1] resorted to the wrong means to get Ballantine's powers: He released the supervillain Angler from his Vault cell in exchange for Angler capturing Ballantine.[1][2][29] The Angler attacked Ballantine at her parent's home, but Ballantine instinctively used her powers and knocked him out.[30] When the Angler was being returned to his cell,[29] the Examiner tried the same tactic with a different villain in a nearby cell: Quagmire,[1][2][31][29] a refugee from another universe.[1] Quagmire agreed to ally with the Examiner.[31]

"Steckley" then convinced Ballantine to take a week-long holiday at Disneyland. During the roadtrip there, they found hitchhiker Quagmire. Quagmire stopped their car and presented the Examiner's portal to them, insisting that scared Ballantine was to cross it. Although Quagmire was not interested in Steckley going there, Steckley insisted she would not leave her friend in distress,[32] convincing Ballantine of her good intentions - really, however, Ereshkigal wanted to remain near the Star Brand. Ereshkigal refused to use her Deviant powers so as to not reveal her nature to Ballantine.[26] Quagmire sent both Ballantine and Steckley through the portal[31][5][32] sending them both to Scadam,[2][5][33] where the Chief Examiner was expecting them.[5]

The Examiner apologized to them both for his means and explained his reasons.[5] He was surprised to discover that Ballantine was unaware of her power, knowing only that "weird things" tended to happen around her. The Examiner offered to stop that situations by taking her power away. Steckley insisted that the Examiner could use that power for evil, thus Ballantine should not accept[22] (notice that Ereshkigal wanted that too).[26] Ballantine, who believed to be a normal human,[22] bargained to be returned to Earth in exchange for whatever procedure the Examiner wanted.[1][22] The Examiner then prepared a synthesizing device that would absorb the power with a puncture on Ballantine's skin. Still against this, Steckley tried to physically stop them, but Ballantine telekinetically immobilized Steckley.[22]

Chief Examiner (Earth-616) from Quasar Vol 1 38

The Chief Examiner is destroyed

Alas, but the Star Brand was too powerful for the Examiner's device![1][22] The item overloaded[1][2] while trying to analyze the Star Brand[2] and it exploded, destroying the Chief Examiner in the process[1][2][22] with an explosion that left behind only smoking ashes, the glass remains of his broken helmet and two very confused, very scared Earthlings.[22]

Epilogue[]

The Black Fleet started its attack on Scadam just after the Chief Examiner's destruction.[22] Although initial estimates indicated a local day of fight before the fall of Scadam,[34] the battle lasted one week,[21] partly because visiting Earthling superheroine Her contributed to the defense[34] and felled at least seven ships before being incapacitated herself. Only after days of siege did Durgan activate the Chief Exterminator. The giant robot fought at least thirteen enemy ships at once[23] before being destroyed by eighteen constant laser bursts.[11] Without the Star Brand power, the Chief Exterminator was insufficient to succeed.[1] Durgan was fatally wounded in the same explosion that scrapped his robot; in his deathbed, he apologized to Ballantine for giving her trouble.[21] Suddenly enraged by her plight, Ballantine used the Star Brand power[1][21] to obliterate the whole Black Fleet[1][14][21] leaving only one known survivor, Skeletron.[14] It was however too late: The Scadamites had been all but exterminated.[33]

Ballantine and Stickley found a doorway similar to the Chief Examinator's black portal they used to travel to Scadam; but they decided against crossing it.[15] They found an operational starship they used to start their travel back Earth.[35] The superheroine Her recovered[15] and, adopting the name Kismet,[23] also went back to Earth through a different path.[15] Before leaving, Kismet scanned Scadam, trying to discover the weapon that had destroyed the Black Fleet[15] but failed to find Ballantine.[35]

Attributes

Power Grid[37]
:Category:Power Grid/Fighting Skills/Poor:Category:Power Grid/Energy Projection/On Contact:Category:Power Grid/Durability/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Warp:Category:Power Grid/Speed/Normal:Category:Power Grid/Strength/Weak:Category:Power Grid/Intelligence/Genius

Powers

  • Invisibility:[2] The Chief Examiner can disappear from sight[4] and become undetectable by any normal means.[3]
  • Language Learning: The Chief Examiner has demonstrated the ability to learn how to speak and understand a language, such as English, in a very short time.[6]
  • Levitation: The Chief Examiner can hover in the air[4][2][6][13][7] and move by walking as if he were on a solid surface. He can also propel himself in a flight-like mode, moving fast enough to chase the Hulk.[6] The Chief Examinator cannot teleport on his own, requiring his hand-held analyzer device to do so.[1]
  • Machine Animation:[3] The Chief Examiner can reprogram machines,[1][4][2][3][7] even the very advanced computers of the Baxter Building[7] and the advanced technological defenses of Magneto's retreat island,[2][8] merely by touching them[1][4][2] by exchanging electrons at point-blank range.[1] This allows the Examiner to take control of any automatic device -like drones or vehicles- that is controlled by that computer.[7]
  • Phasing: The Chief Examiner can reduce his own density to pass through solid objects[4][2] and force fields of almost any strength and characteristics.[3] The Chief Examiner apparently needs to concentrate to use this power, being unable to do so if stressed or incapacitated.[2][6] The Examiner's helmet and robes seem to remain solid when the Examiner phases.[4]
  • Power Detection: The Chief Examiner could find and track superpowered beings, particularly if their power was specially intense.[1][5] However, a superpowered being could escape the Examiner's scanning simply by submerging in water.[6]

Abilities

The Chief Examiner has a genius-level intelligence.[1][2][3] Although initially too cryptic for his own good,[7][8] in time he became a good negotiator to convince others such as Quagmire to work for him.[29]

The Chief Examiner is fluent in English and probably at least one more language.[6]

Weaknesses

  • Computer Consciousness: The Chief Examiner is a computer construct. Other beings can project their own consciousness within the Examiner's mnemonic system and take direct control of the Examinator's actions, as demonstrated by Durgan[8] and the Bio-Gem.[1][7][8] After several hostile takeovers, the Chief Examinator implemented self-repair and protection software.[1][8]
  • The Chief Examiner is a poor fighter.[1][2][3]

Paraphernalia

Equipment

  • Analyzer:[3] This is a hand-held device[1][2][6] that allows the Chief Examiner to examine the biological structure of living beings[4] and study all forms of energy, including psionic, mystic, microscopic features and superpower, along with their weaknesses.[3] The analyzer is required to obtain another being's superpowers, and it can also be used as a flashlight.[6] The analyzer presumably can be used to monitor the events happening within the Chief Examiner's portal during the tests and to contain the energy drained whenever a being goes through the portal.[4]

The analyzer provides the Chief Examiner with teleportation capabilities[1] to travel,[1][6][7][29] and to send others,[1][9][29] anywhere he wants, even covering interstellar distances.[3]

  • Portal: The Chief Examiner's scanning plate,[8] also called his "black teleportal",[31] was an opaque rectangular shape,[1][6][4] higher and wider than a human,[6] that hovered in the air[1][4][3] moving according to the Chief Examiner's silent[6] commands. The Examiner can even make it appear and disappear,[4][7] and rotate it - the portal can be vertical at the origin point and horizontal at the destination point.[5][32]

When a superpowered being crosses the portal, that person was automatically transported[6][13][7] to the Chief Examiner's lair[3] in a Scadam laboratory[1] where the being was examined[1] using advanced Scadamite technology[2] and at the same time tested in an environment controlled by the Examiner.[9][18][20] The analysis covered the superbeings' powers[4][3] and all of their memories,[4][2] and it ended in a matter of seconds[4][6][13] although the superbeing appeared to have spend some time in the laboratory.[4] The superbeings were returned to Earth in a temporary state of physical exhaustion[6][13] and with most of their powers reduced[4][6][13][3] for a short time.[4][3] After this process, the superbeing's powers could be duplicated by the Chief Examiner.[4][3] The Chief Examiner could not compel anyone to go through the portal[6] but he could try to convince a person[4][6][13][3] or manipulate the events to foster the situation.[7] The portal can also be used to teleport beings from Earth to Scadam.[1][5]

Anything material crossing the portal saw its physical momentum reduced to a minimum, removing all the kinetic energy. The Chief Examiner thus uses the portal as a shield to protect himself against projectiles, because those automatically saw their impulse drained.[4][6][13] The portal apparently could also absorb energy attacks.[1]

  • Synthesizing device: A manual device similar in function to the analyzer, the Chief Examiner used it to extract the superpower from a source by puncturing that being's skin. This process did not replicate the power, but instead moved it from the original being and transported it to a storage area, using the device as an intermediary. A power too big to be contained by the Scadamite technology could explosively destroy the item.[22]

Transportation

Flight using his own power;[6] interstellar teletransportation using his technology.[1]

Trivia

Questprobe Vol 1 1

In the cover of Questprobe #1, the Examiner is seen without his helmet in the background

  • Although Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse #1's entry on the Examiner claims that it is unclear whether the Examiner has hair or not, his hair was visible in the videogame Questprobe: The Hulk. In the cover of the comic-book of that game, a mysterious figure in the background is apparently the helmet-less Chief Examiner, and his face in shadows looks very similar to Durgan with afro hairstyle and goatee.
  • The Chief Examiner's entry in Gamer's Handbook of the Marvel Universe #1 reproduces the text of the History section seen in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #2, omitting one sentence. It also has two typos: "Microspcopic" instead of "microscopic" (under the Equipment section) and "decribe" instead of "describe" (under the Role Playing Notes section).
  • The Chief Examiner's entry in later entry in Gamer's Handbook of the Marvel Universe #1 (1988), clearly based on the previous one in OHOTMU speculates a number of unclear issues about the Examiner to adapt him for the role-playing game, which were later disproved: Gamer's gave the Chief Examiner a high physical endurance that later sources, including Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse (2015) confirm was much lower; it confirmed that the Examiner could "create new lifeforms" and, contradicting OHOTMU, gave the Examiner specific interstellar teleportation powers. A later entry in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #29 was much more conservative in the approach and left a number of fields as "Unknown" or "Unrevealed."
  • Even for a cryptic character, the Chief Examiner's continuity had a number of unexplained and contradictory situations:
    • In Questprobe #3, the Examiner apparently approaches the Human Torch first and later the Thing; each superhero entering the portal at a different time - so they are not within the "laboratory" at the same time. However, in the videogame both superheroes cooperate, apparently being in "the laboratory" at the same time. Maybe there were two versions of the Examiner, one of them being illusory, so that both the Thing and the Torch entered the portal at the same time? This is not explained.
    • Master Edition #29 mentions that, during his encounter with the X-Men, the Chief Examiner rebelled against Durgan's programming. It fails to explain the Bio-Gem's influence, which his at least hinted in Fanfare #33 and specified in Secret Wars.
    • Wolverine Encyclopedia says that the Chief Examiner was first affected by Magneto's powers, then attacked the X-Men and petrified Wolverine. This is inexact: The Examiner defeated the X-Men, including Wolverine (but excluding Rogue, who arrived later), before having any issue with Magneto's powers.

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 1.41 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.45 1.46 1.47 1.48 1.49 1.50 1.51 1.52 1.53 1.54 1.55 1.56 1.57 1.58 1.59 1.60 1.61 1.62 1.63 1.64 1.65 1.66 Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse #1
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32 2.33 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #29
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 Gamer's Handbook of the Marvel Universe #1
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.30 4.31 4.32 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #2
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 Quasar #37
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 6.25 6.26 6.27 6.28 6.29 6.30 6.31 6.32 6.33 6.34 6.35 6.36 6.37 6.38 6.39 6.40 6.41 Questprobe #1
  7. 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 7.17 7.18 7.19 7.20 7.21 7.22 7.23 7.24 7.25 7.26 7.27 7.28 7.29 7.30 Questprobe #3
  8. 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.19 8.20 8.21 8.22 8.23 8.24 8.25 8.26 8.27 8.28 8.29 8.30 8.31 8.32 8.33 8.34 8.35 8.36 8.37 8.38 8.39 8.40 8.41 8.42 8.43 8.44 Marvel Fanfare #33
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Questprobe: The Hulk
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Wolverine Encyclopedia #1
  11. 11.0 11.1 Quasar #41
  12. Concept and creation by Adams and Byrne -as specified in Questprobe #1; authorship of first appearance by Mantlo (script), Gruenwald (breakdowns) and Romita (inks)
  13. 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 13.15 13.16 13.17 13.18 13.19 13.20 13.21 13.22 13.23 13.24 13.25 Questprobe #2
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 Starblast #4
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Quasar #43
  16. Marvel Encyclopedia #Spider-Man
  17. Why both Banner and the Hulk feel the need to collect gems is never explained; nor is why Banner appears tied to a chair either.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Questprobe: Spider-Man
  19. Fantastic Four #357
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 Questprobe: The Human Torch & the Thing
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 Quasar #42
  22. 22.00 22.01 22.02 22.03 22.04 22.05 22.06 22.07 22.08 22.09 22.10 Quasar #38
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 Quasar #40
  24. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005 #1
  25. Quasar #31
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 Quasar #50
  27. Thor #284
  28. Quasar #49
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 29.5 29.6 Quasar #35
  30. 30.0 30.1 Quasar #34
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #25 ; Quagmire's entry
  32. 32.0 32.1 32.2 Quasar #36
  33. 33.0 33.1 Quasar #45
  34. 34.0 34.1 Quasar #39
  35. 35.0 35.1 Quasar #44
  36. [1]
  37. Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse Vol 1 1
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